Dragons demand region cash

In the WRU's annual general meeting, chief executive David Moffett took a stand against the Dragons' demands.

"They want more money or stand-alone status, but they've been told time after time they won't get stand-alone status," Moffett said.

The WRU took over Ebbw Vale's half of the Dragons company when the Steelmen pulled out of the union with Newport.

The Dragons, as a combination of two clubs, were originally promised more funds than stand-alone sides Cardiff Blues and Llanelli Scarlets.

The Union are trying to run with the hares and hunt with the hounds on this one Dragons board member Tony Brown

But in purely financial terms, because of Ebbw Vale's withdrawal the WRU sees the Dragons as a stand-alone team, especially as they use Rodney Parade as their sole ground.

However, in legal terms the WRU is refusing to recognise the Dragons as a stand-alone entity.

This conundrum has seen the Dragons management refuse to sign up to the WRU's new rugby charter, a blueprint for the future of rugby in Wales.

"If we are a region we should be paid as one, it's a question of money not principle," Dragons benefactor and board member Tony Brown told BBC Sport Wales.

"The Union are trying to run with the hares and hunt with the hounds on this one.

"Mr Moffett has gone public on a number of occasions to lambast us without trying to understand our situation."

In response, the Union has withheld its funding of the Dragons for the time being.

"The distribution of funds is a matter for the regions," Moffett added.

"With the other three regions having agreed their share, the Dragons are now left in a difficult position. This has got a bit to do with ego."

Better news came from the reporting of a small profit of �82,000 for the last financial year, compared to a deficit of �3.7 million the previous year.

Although that will not make much of a hole in the WRU's overall debts of �68m, Moffett claimed he was "tantalisingly close" to agreeing a restructuring of the debt.

It is now hoped that the Millennium Commission will agree to a lucrative re-naming of the Stadium to bring in a multi-million pound sum.